Automotive clutch device



Filed June 4, 1927 rNvENToR JOHN RBARTHOLMKW ATTO FQ N E Y Patented Apr. 2, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN R. BARTHOLOMEW, OF MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 THE WESTING- HOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY,` OF WILMERDING, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OE PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMOTIVE CLUTCH DEVICE.

Application led June 4,

to an automotive vehicle clutch mechanism` or to an automotive vehicle brake mechanism for controlling or for assisting in the control of the operation of one or the other of these mechanisms.

This and other objects and advantages will appear from the following detailed description.

Referring to the drawing, in which like reference characters refer to like parts; Fig. l is a plan view of the invention applied to an automotive vehicle clutch operating n'iechanism and mounted on a portion of the vehicle; 2 is a side elevational view of the same; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the mechanism, taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 except that it illustrates how the invention may be ap lied to an automotive vehicle brake mec anism, the reservoir and iexible diaphragm chamber device being shown on a reduced scale.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, the `reference character 1 indicates a portion of an automotive vehicle chassis which may be oit any desired construction', and suitably journalled in this chassis, there is a shaft 2 adapted to be rotated to operate the usual clutch device (not shown), which forms a part of the usual drive mechanism.

The clutch operating shaft 2 is adapted to be operated through the medium of cooperating levers 3 and 4. The lever 3 is what is known as the clutch pedal and may be mounted on any suitable part of the vehicle so that relative movement between the shatt and lever will be permitted. Interposed between. and connected with the lever 3 and a, rigid part of the vehicle, there is a spring 5 which is adapted to return the lever trom its clutch disengaged position to its clutch engaged position. as shown in the i'lrawing, and -tepds to maintain the lever in this position. In the present cmbodiu'icut ot the invention the lower end portion of the lover is loosely mounted on the shaft 2.

The lever 4 is secured to the shaft 2 so thatl 1927. Serial No. 196,445.

relative movement between this lever and shaft is not permitted, and is provided with an upwardly extending lug 6 through which an adjusting member 7 passes, the inner' end ot which .is adapted to be engaged by the lever 3, as will hereinafter be more fully described. This member 7 `has a screw threaded connection with the lug 6, `so that For the purpose of maintaining the preferred adjustment between the levers 3 and 4, the member 7 is provided with a check nut 8 which is adapted to cooperate with the lug G to prevent the accidental rotation of the member 7. The lever 4 is also provided with a pad or flange 9 which is spaced away from the lug 6 and has mounted thereon a valve device 10 which is movable with the lover.

The valve device 10 comprises a casing having a. piston chamber 11 containing a piston 12 and a spring 13 adapted to act upon the pist-on 12, and this chamber is open to the atmosphere through aport 14. The piston 12 is provided with a stem 15, the outer end portion of which extends through one of the end portions of the casing and, in the present embodiment of the invention, also extends through an opening formed in the iiangc 9 and cooperates with a lug 16 on the lever 3. Tliecasing of the valve device also has aI slide valve chamber 17 which is connected with a fluid pressure reservoir 1S by a pipe 19 having a flexible portion 20. The chamber 17contains a slide valve 21 which is connected with the piston l2 by a pin 22, which extends through a slotted aperture 23, leading from the face ot' the slide valve seat 24 to the piston chamber 11.

For the purpose of operating the lever 4, to release or assist in releasing the clutch device, a llexible diaphragm chamber device 25 is provided. comprising a casing in which a flexible diaphragm Q6 is mounted, the chamber 27 al one sido of the diaphragm being connected. hy a pipe 9.8, having a flexible portion 29, with a passage 30 in the casing ot thc valve device leading to the slide valve Thel chamber 31 at the other side of thc diaphragm contains a follower 39. adapted to he operated by the diaphragm 26 and has attached thereto a push rod 33, the

scat Q2-4.

outer and of which is operatively connected with the lever 4 by a in 34. c Assuming the clutc device of a vehicle to be engaged, the levers'3 and 4, and as'- sociated parts will be in the positions as shown in Figs. 1 to 3inclusive. If it is desired to disengage the clutch device, the operator, by the use of his foot, moves the lever 3 forward, and as the lever is thus moved, the spring 13 of the valve device 10, which has been compressed, causes the piston 12, piston stem 15 and .slide valve 21 to be moved forward until such time as the lever 3 enga es the end of the adi'ust-ing member 7, at w lich time the slide va ve 21 will have been shifted to such a ition that it will uncover the passage 3 leading from the slide valve seat 24 and will permit fluid under rassurein the reservoir 18 and slide valve c amber 17 to flow through the passage B 30 and pipe 28 to the chamber 27 of t diaphragm chamber device 25. Fluid under pressure in the chamber 27, acting upon the dia hragm 26, moves it, together with the pus rod 33, outwardly, thus causing the ever 4 to be moved forward and the shaft 2 to be rotated in the clutch releasing direction. Should the operator continue to move the lever 3 forward the slide valve device and lever 8 will now remain in their same relative positions and fluid under pressure will continue to flow to the' diaphragm chamber device 25 and the rod 33 and lever 4 will be moved forward a sutiicient distance to further rotate the shaft and completely disengage the clutch device. To again o erate the clutch device so that itwill be in its engaged position, the operator removes pressure from the lever 3, permitting the spring 5 to move the lever 3 toward its c utch engaged position, causing the stem 15 and piston 12 to move inwardly a sufiicient distance, that the slide valve 21 will be shifted to its release position. in which, a cavity 35 in the slide valve will connect the passage 30 and aperture 23, so that fluid under pressure in the chamber 27 of the dia hragin chamber device 25 will be vented to t e atmosphere through the pipe 28, passage 30, slide valve cavity 35, aperture 23, piston chamber 11 and port 14. vWhen the chamber 27 is thus vented, the spring 5, through the medium of the lever 3, together with the weight of the clutch device will cause the lever 4 to be moved to ,shiit the push rod 33 inwardly't-o its normal position, and willalso cause the shaft to rotate to move the clutch device to its engaged position. If the operator desires a quick engageinent of the clutch device, he removes all pressure from the lever 3, and if he de aires a gradual engagement of the clutch device he gradually removes pressure from the lever 3.

Should the operator move the lever 3 until it engages the end of the adjusting device 7, the stem 15, piston 12 and slide valve 21 will be moved by the spring 13 to the positions in which the fluid under ressurc from the chamber 17 and reservoir 1 will be supplied to the chamber 27 of the diaphragm chamber 25 and move the push rod outwardly, causing. the lever 4 to be operated to rotate the shaft 5 in vits clutch releasing direction, and should the operator now hold the liever 3 a inst further movement, tlie lever 4 and va ve device 10 mounted thereon, will be moved forward and, as the stem 15 is in' engagement with the lever 3, the casing of the valve device will be moved forward relative to the slide valve 21, piston 12 und stein 15 a suicicnt distance that thc slide valve will be in lap position, in which )csition, fluid under pressure is maintaiue in the chamber 27 of the diaphragm chamber device 25, at which time the automatic operations of the several parts of the invention cease and the clutch device is partially disengaged. Now, if the operator desires to further disengage the clutch device, he again applies pressure to the lever 3 until it again engages the adjusting member 7, when the operations, just described, will be repeated. By the release of ressure on the lever 3 at any time the clutc device 'will be moved to its engaged position, as hereinbelore describe f In Fig. 4 of the drawing, the invention has been shown a plied to an automotive brake device. In t is figure the cooperating levers 36 and 37 are both loosclv mounted on a shaft 38'01' any other suitable part of the vehicle. The lever 36 is what is known as the brake pedal and may be of substantially the same construction as the clutch edal 3. The lever 37 differs from the lever 4, 1ereinbefore described, in that it is loosely mounted and is provided with a perforated lug 39 to which a brake rod 40 is operatively connected, such rod being connected to the usual brake apparatus (not shown In this embodiment of the invention it wi be understood that the clutch device cannot be o erated through the medium of the levers K6 and 37. Except for the differences herein noted, the valve device 10, dia hra chamber device 25, reservoir 18 an their connections are substantially the same as described in connection with the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive and the operations of the several rts oi the mechanism are substantially e saine for controlling the brake as for controlling the operation of the clutch device.

From the foregoing description in connection with Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive of the drawing it will be seen that the o erator has complete and positive control o the operation of the clutch device at all times and that the clutch device may be operated without any great effort on the part of the o rater, and this is also the case in connee tion with the application of the device to the brake apparatus.

If for any reason the fluid pressure operating means should fail to function pro erly, the clutch or brake may be manually operated in the usual manner.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automotive vehicle, the combination with a pair of se arately movable cooperating controlling evers, of fluid pres sure operated means for operatingr one of said levers, and means coo erating with both of said levers for control ing the operation of said fluid pressure operated means.

`t2. In an automotive vehicle the combina tion with a manually operable lever and a lever operable by lluid pressure means, of means carried by the last mentioned lever and operable by the first mentioned lever for controlling the operation of said fluid pressure means.

3. In-an automotive vehicle, the combination with a pair of cooperating controlling levers, of a fluid pressure operated device for appl ing power to one of said levers, and a va ve device carried bv said lever and operable by the other of said levers for controlling the operation of said device.

4. In an automotive vehicle, the combinan tion with a pair of separatel movable cooperating controlling levers, o a diaphragm c amber device operatively connected with one of said levers and means coo rating with both of said levers for contro ing the operation of said device.

5. In an automotive vehicle, the combination with a pair of cooperating controlling levers being adapted to be moved a limited distance re ative to each other, of means for operating one of said levers, and means carried by the other of said levers and operable upon the movement of one of said levers relative to the other for controlling the operation of the operatin means.

6. In an automotive ve icio, the combination with a pair of cooperating controllingv levers being adapted to be moved a limited distance relative to each other, of means for adjusting the degree of relative movement between said levers, power means for operating one of said levers, and means carried by theother of said levers and operable upon the movement 'of one of said levers relative tothe other for controlling the operation o said power means.

i 7. In an automotive vehicle, the combination with a clutch operating member, of a pair of cooperating levers for operating said member, means operable by fluid under pressure for operat1ng one o said levers, and a valve device carried by said lever for device.

il. In an automotive vehicle, the combinar tion with a clutch operating shaft, of a pair of cooperating levers for operating said shaft, fluid pressure operated means for operating one of said levers, and means whereby the cooperation of both of said levers will control the operation of said fluid pressure operated means.

10. In an automotiv'e vehicle, the combination with a rotatable shaft for operating a clutch device, a lever for operat-in said shaft, a valve device carried by sai lever, means operable by fluid under pressure for operating said lever to disengage said clutch, and manually operable means 4for operating said valve device to control the operation'of the fluid pressure operated means.

11. In an automotive vehicle, the combi nation with a member for operating a clutch Idevice, of means operated by fluid under pressure for operating said member to disengage said clutch device, and manually operable means for controlling the admission of fluid under pressure to the first mentioned means.

i 12.`In an automotive vehicle, the combination with a member for operatin a clutch device, of a lever 1for operating sai member to control the operation of said clutch device, a diaphragm chamber device including an operative connection to said lever adapt"` ed to be operated by fluid under pressure to discngage said clutch device, a valve device on said lever for controlling the supply of fluid under pressure to said dia ragm chamber device for disengaging sai clutch device and to control the venting of the fluid under pressure from the diaphragm chamber device to permit the engagement of said clutch device, and a manually operable lever for controlling the operation of said valve device.

13. In an automotive vehicle, the combination with a member for operating a clutch device, a lever for operating said member, fluid pressure means for operating said lever, a valve device on said lever for controlling the supply of fluid under pressure to said fluid pressure means a lever operable manually to permit sai valve device, as it is operated, to supply fluid under pressure to said fluid pressure means, said valve device embodying means whereby a stoppage in the movement.- of the manually operable lever will cause the supply of fluid under pressure to said fluid pressure means to be shut. olf to render said fluid pressure means inoperative.

14. In an automotive vehicle, the combination with a member for operating a clutch operate with said valve device to supplyV fluid under pressure to said means to disengage said clutch device; to vent th'e fluid under pressure in said means to permit the engagement of said clutch device, or to maintain pressure in said means upon the manually operable lever coming to a stop sliort of its normal clutch engaging position.

15. In an automotive vehicle, the combination with a member for operating a clutch device, of a lever for operating said member, a flexible diaphragm chamber device operable by fluid under pressure for operating said lever to disengage said clutch device, a valve device on said lever for controlling the operation of said flexible diaphragm chamber device, said valve device comprising a casing having a chamber connected with a fluid pressure supply reservoir and having a` chamber connected-with said. flexible diaphragm chamber device and adapted to communicate with the first mentioned chamber, a valve in said casing adapted to- 1G. In an automotive vehicle, the combif nation with a lever comprising a plurality of parts movable relative to cach other for operating a clutch device or the like, of fluid pressure means for operating said device, and means operable manually through the medium of said lever for controlling the operation of said fluid pressure means.

17. .In an automotivevehicle, the combination with a clutch operating member, of a lever comprising a plurality of parts movable relative to each other for operating said member, and fluid pressure means controlled by the manual operation of said lever for assisting in the operation of said member.

18. In an automotive vehicle, the combination with a lever for operating a. clutch device or the like, of fluid pressure means for operating said lever, and means controlled through the manual operation of said lever for controlling the operation of said fluid pressure means.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN R. BARTHOLOMEV.

DISCLAIMER i i l DiiviCE. 1707.216-J0/m R. Bartholomew Montclair 'N.-J. AUroMoTivE CLUicii a Patent dated April' 2, 1929. ,Disclaimer liled October 11, 1930, by the assignee,

The Westin( house ltr Brake Compa-ny, v i.. A Hcreby enters/this disclaimer to claim 4 1n said specification which is in the following ivoi'ds, to Wit:

n I "v l In an automotive vehicle, the combination with a pair of separately movab cooperating cont-rolling levers, of aldia-phragm chamber device operativelyv connecte1 'with one of said levers, and means cooperating with bot-h ot said levers oi contro ling the operation of said device. A

[U/jzea Gazezt'Ocifqbcr 28,1930@ 

